Top 10 Toy Story Toys That Need to be Made

I'm going to start off by stating the obvious here, but in case you missed it, I'm a gigantic Toy Story fan and collector. The original Toy Story is what started my love for Pixar back in 1995 and remains my favorite Pixar film (well, can I count the whole trilogy as one?) all these years later.

I started collecting Toy Story toys (now, to be specific, we're talking the full scale/movie size versions of the characters here) virtually as soon as the movie hit; but even as a five year old, I realized that a lot of Andy's toys weren't available and desperately hoped they would get made. The main characters were produced, sure—Buzz: ✅  Woody:  ✅  Rex: ✅  Hamm: ✅  Slinky: ✅  Mr. Potato Head: ✅ Green Army Men: ✅  RC: ✅ ...and so on. Heck, even a full scale Mr. Mike came out—but what about all the other secondary toys? I got what I could, and still continue to get what's made available, but there are some seriously cool characters missing that I'm still hoping (almost 22 years later) get made one day.

Over the more recent years, a couple gaps have been filled, but they've been few and far between. Like I was ecstatic when a full scale Zurg finally hit shelves, when we finally got a trio of Pizza Planet aliens and when an official "Toy Story Ball" was finally made. With the release of the "Toy Story Signature Collection" by Thinkway Toys (2009-2011), new and updated versions of the main characters were released, which was awesome, but I was still left clamoring for certain others.

With all that said, here is my TOP 10 list of Toy Story toys that STILL need to be made!
Note: I know some of these characters are available out there in roundabout ways (like obscure foreign limited releases, customs, etc.), but I'm talking about wanting official mainstream (Disney Store/Parks, Mattel or Thinkway) definitive replicas of these characters.

10.) TROLL
Yes, the Troll in Toy Story is based on the real life Troll toy (from the classic early 90's line) and yes there are plenty out there with pink hair that you can purchase and customize (which many fans have done). BUT there has never been an official release of Andy's troll with the flower bikini. I would love to see that release happen.
 

9.) CHUCKLES
There has never been a full scale Chuckles toy released. If you Google him, you'll see some pretty convincing customs, but none of them are official. The closest thing out there (which I ended up settling for) is the Disney Store plush version. I haven't given up hope quite yet though!

8.) MR. SHARK
"Look, I'm Woody! Howdy, howdy, howdy..." Everyone remembers the hilarious rubber shark that resides in Andy's toy chest (even if his screen time is limited to only a few seconds). Despite being a fan favorite (due to his one classic line), an official version of this character has never been made. Diehard Toy Story collectors often find and buy real life rubber shark toys to fill the gap in their collection, but it's just not the same.

7.) ROCKY GIBRALTAR
Rocky here has a decent amount of screen time in the first Toy Story, so I'm shocked that there has never been a full scale, mainstream release! I mean, come one. Along with Mr. Shark, he would be one of the easiest and cheapest Toy Story characters to produce. I have a 4" action figure of him, but it's so small that I don't even count it as a replica. Some fans fork out a few hundred bucks for the Japan exclusive Medicom vinyl Rocky figure, but even that isn't completely to scale (it comes closer than the other figures out there of this character, but it's still too small).

6.) MR. SPELL
Mr. Spell is another one of those secondary Toy Story characters who has become pretty iconic. There's even a giant one hanging from a "jump rope" at Hollywood Studios in the Pixar Place section of the park! Yet, once again, there has never been an official full scale release of this character. This is a toy that is fun, educational AND a Toy Story character (not to mention it has lights and sounds). If you ask me, that all sounds super marketable! I know Mr. Spell is loosely based on the Speak & Spell toy from the 80's, but this design is completely Pixar's own creation. It needs to be made.

5.) BO PEEP
There are several official versions of Bo Beep out there. I even have one of them (which is the best one right now in my opinion—the Thinkway Toys Bo Peep with sheep from 1995). Then how is she on this list you might ask? For me, I still don't feel like any of the Toy Story Bo Peep toys out there have really captured the actual character from the film. They all just just remind me of some kind of standard Barbie type doll. If you remember, Bo Peep and her sheep aren't technically toys at all; she's made of porcelain and is actually a part of Molly's lamp. I would love to see an actual porcelain (or at least a quality vinyl) version of her and her sheep with a working lamp—base and all! How cool would that be?

4.) SNAKE & ROBOT
OK, this might be cheating since these are two separate characters—but hey. I had to narrow it down to a Top 10 and, since Snake and Robot are always seen together in the film, I took the liberty to lump them under one. I have ALWAYS wanted these two and STILL hope that they will be made. Even if they're a limited release (how cool would a 2-pack be?) at a convention or whatnot, a release needs to happen. I can see Robot's lights and hear his signature sounds now! And as far as Snake, he literally would be the easiest toy to produce. Just make it happen people.

3.) TRIXIE 
That's right—Trixie, one of the main characters from Toy Story 3 (and star of Toy Story That Time Forgot as well as featured in all the Toy Story Toons) has never seen a full scale/replica release. A couple small scale action figures? Yes. But none that are even close to being in scale with the film. Currently I just have a Disney Parks plush version as a filler to at least have the character represented in my collection. I believe this release is inevitable, even if it takes a few more years.  

2.) WHEEZY
This one bothers me a lot. Here's another simple, easy to make toy (as easy as Mr. Shark or Snake would be) that would make a LOT of Toy Story fans happy; yet for some reason, he remains unproduced after 18 years! Yes, a rubber full scale Wheezy squeak toy was available for a brief time at the Disney Store overseas in 1999 (limited to the European and Japan markets). Apparently that same Wheezy was also available at select shows of Toy Story 2 "On Ice" (again, overseas). However, how many people actually have him out there? A handful? I know some fans who are lucky enough to have him (the ones who paid $100+ for him on eBay), but let's be real. You can barely even call that a release. If Disney Parks released a basic rubber Wheezy squeeze toy, that thing would FLY off the shelf. Why are they missing that great opportunity? Wheezy without a doubt needs to be made.

1.) STINKY PETE (THE PROSPECTOR) 

You've made it to my #1 Toy Story toy that needs to be made...That's right, it's none other than Stinky Pete the prospector! This one still baffles me; another main character who got completely snubbed. Are they afraid that he'll suffer the same fate as in the film and become a shelf warmer? That no one will want to buy him? Well I know that there are thousands of Toy Story fans out there who wouldn't hesitate getting him for a second if he was released. Why not make him a limited release if that's really the worry? If that's not the reason for him not being released, what is? So many questions. 

And yes, once again, I know there is a full scale version of Stinky Pete from the company Young Epoch, but that is yet another Japanese exclusive, is very limited and sells for upwards $1,000 or more (plus, in my opinion, I don't even like the way that one looks to be honest). Let's please just make Stinky Pete widely available in the U.S. for all us dedicated fans. How funny is it that the one toy with packaging seen in the film is the toy that never gets a real release?

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Lenny, Troikas, Roly Poly Clown, Stretch (the purple Sunnyside octopus), and Sid's mutant toys. 

That's it everyone! There we have my top 10 Toy Story toys that need to be made. With Toy Story 4 coming in 2019, let's just hope a Toy Story toys resurgence will bring about some of these characters. What do you think of my list? Do you agree? Who would you add or take away? I can't wait to hear all your thoughts in the comment section below.

Monsters Inc: METALFIGS Mike & Sulley (by Jada Toys)

New from Jada Toys, here we have a couple of figures from their METALFIGS collection (a line which seems to be growing in popularity as of late)...Mike and Sulley from Monsters Inc.! These characters are about 2"-2 1/2" tall and are made up of over 50% solid diecast metal.

I saw that these were being released not too long ago and had been keeping my eyes open for them over the last few weeks. I was super pumped when I stumbled upon them at Walmart this past weekend! I just absolutely love the designs of these figures and knew they would be irresistible. Retail price is $4.68 each.

On the back you'll notice a few other non-Pixar (though Disney nonetheless) characters in this line that are also available: Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Jack Skellington and Stitch.

Check them out a bit closer below— loose from the packaging and ready to scare! It's hard to tell from my photos, but each one has a fantastic sparkly/metallic paint job. What a cool touch! These are going to look perfect on display in my office and are great pieces overall for adult collectors. 

Mike Wazowski

Sulley

As mentioned, I found these at Walmart...but I'm sure they're available elsewhere as well. Keep a look out at Target and Toy R Us as they might be showing up there too! If you want to order them online using Amazon, check out my direct links below.

I can't recommend these enough for any Monsters Inc. fan! They're cute, they're well made, have a solid weight to them and don't take up very much space. You really can't go wrong here.

 

FINAL NOTE: Here's a shot I took of the Jada Toys METALFIGS section at Walmart. 

 

You can see here that there's also a "NANO METALFIGS" line, which now features a boxed set of several teeny tiny metal Pixar figures (about 1.5" tall). I didn't go for those ones, since I was shocked at the difference in quality when compared to the Mike and Sulley figures I reviewed above. The ones in this set (especially Sulley) look just so off to me. Their sculpts are awkward and the paint jobs are sloppy. It's weird to me that these are from the same company as the ones I purchased. Oh well—what do you think?

LOU: Pixar Studio Store Exclusive Pin

If you've been following along with me on social media (and/or if you've read my glowing soundtrack review), you may already know that I adore Pixar's latest short film, LOU (directed by Dave Mullins), which premiered this summer in front of the theatrical release of Cars 3.

To my dismay (though expected), there has been no sign of any LOU merchandise—or at least any that's available to the general public. However, thanks to my good friends over at PixarPost.com (who totally surprised me), I was able to obtain this amazing LOU limited edition pin! This is currently available only at the Pixar Studio Store in Emeryville, CA.

The overall design of the pin is adorable and completely captures the brilliantly designed title character of the film. The back of the pin has a standard authentic Disney pins Mickey Mouse clamp.

 
As I've mentioned countless times, I consider anything from the Pixar Studio Store to be the "holy grail" of Pixar collecting. This is such a rare treat! Perhaps one day I'll be able to live my dream and shop the store myself, but until then, I'm grateful for my friends in the community who think of me when they're able to visit.

If you're interested in snagging this for your Disney pin collection, there is one available on eBay as of right now—though it might cost you an arm and a leg. Be sure to check out all the current listings for this pin right HERE.

Something else that I'll be keeping a lookout for is this incredible LOU maquette, which will also be a Pixar Studio Store exclusive, set to arrive sometime later this year. Maybe we'll get a plush too? Time will tell! Let me know your thoughts on this or any upcoming LOU releases in the comments below.

Cars 3: Dr. Damage

Straight from one of my favorite scenes in Cars 3, here we have the Mattel "Deluxe" size 1:55 scale diecast of Dr. Damage! For me, the most fun characters to collect so far in the Cars 3 line have been the demolition derby/crazy 8 race contenders. They're just so wacky and odd, which make for diecasts unlike any that have been released in the past! Plus they have some amazing detailing with all their "dirt" and "grime."

The character design for this one is just too funny and Mattel did a fantastic job translating it into a diecast toy. I mean, come on... "Dr. Damage"? "Rambulance"? That flat line graphic? I imagine all the concept artists had a blast working on that scene during the production of the film.

Let's take a closer look at Dr. Damage out of the package! He really looks great. One thing to note is that he's not 100% diecast metal. The front "face part " (for lack of better wording) of him is, but the whole back portion of the ambulance, as well as the tires and exhaust pipes, is plastic. That's not necessarily a bad thing, unless perhaps you were going to purchase this with expectations that he was completely made of metal.

As of right now, this single carded release of Dr. Damage is the only way to get him. If you're any kind of Cars 3 diecast collector, this one is a must have for sure! At this point he may be hard to find in stores (since he started hitting shelves months ago), but it wouldn't hurt to check your local Walmart, Target or Toys R Us for availability. If you'd rather just snag him online, check out current eBay listings HERE or Amazon using the direct link below.

Happy hunting!

Cars 3: "Legends of the Track" Men's Tee

Today I'm taking a look at the Disney Store exclusive "Legends of the Track" Cars 3 men's tee—released back in April with the initial launch of Cars 3 merch! You might remember that I wore this back on my birthday in May (as well as to the premiere of Cars 3 AND to Cars Land in July; I've gotten some good millage out of this shirt this summer), but I've yet to do a formal review of it here.

I actually really like this tee. It's soft, it fits nice and has a nice heathered look/texture to it (plus it's more of a muted red, rather than a bright red color). I love the look of the screen art and tribute to the film's racing legends (inspired by real life NASCAR legends of course): Smokey (based on Smokey Yunick), Louise Nash (based on Louise Smith), Junior Moon (based on Junior Johnson) and River Scott (based on Wendell Scott). Though I've never been into real NASCAR and I never knew of these racers before the film, I still sense an overall nostalgic feel to this shirt which I can appreciate.

If you haven't picked up this tee yet, be sure to grab it before it's gone. It's currently on sale for an awesome price of $15.99! Act fast—once these shirts go on clearance, it doesn't take too long for them to, well, clear out. Visit your local Disney store or visit their website HERE to purchase.

Shout out your thoughts in the comment section below! 

Cars 3: Miss Fritter Concept Art Greeting Card (Pixar Studio Store)

"The diva of demolition....MISSSSSSS FRRRITTTTEEERR!"

Love the fan favorite Cars 3 character Miss Fritter? Then you'll probably appreciate this post! Today I'm taking a look at a super cool card sent to me by one of my good friends in the Disney community, freelance Artist Jerrod Maruyama (thanks again Jerrod)! This card is only available at the Pixar Studio Store in Emeryville, CA and features some really fantastic pencil sketch concept art of everyone's favorite deranged school bus (which I believe is by Pixar artist Matt Nolte, but I'm not 100% on that; no artist is credited on the card).

The inside of the card is blank and the back of the card includes the Pixar Animation Studios logo with Miss Fritter in replace of the "I"! Come on, you just gotta love it.

That's really it with this (short and simple), but you know anything from the Pixar Studio Store is pure gold for me! What are your thoughts? Any insights into who the artist is? Shout it all out in the comments below.

Cars 3: Smokey

Here we have one of my favorite characters from Cars 3...Smokey, Doc Hudson's former crew chief and owner of the "Best Dang Garage in Town"! This is the same Mattel 1:55 scale diecast that was released back on May 1st, but he now comes with a poster/checklist (which I'll show you down below). Full disclosure: I have the day one release of Smokey as well and I only picked up this re-release of him recently because I thought he was the new updated variation. My goofy mistake...I saw the "bonus mini poster" and jumped the gun, assuming it was the new one. 

"An updated version of Smokey?", you might ask. Yes, there is a new, more movie accurate diecast of Smokey in stores now without any side mirrors (he actually doesn't have them in the film, Mattel got that wrong here). The new variation also has a slightly different color paint job, a longer bed and some more subtle added details. If I'm able to ever find that one, I'll update this post with photos.

In the mean time, check out the standard version of Smokey below—still a good diecast overall!

Here's the Cars 3 mini poster/checklist that comes with this latest case of diecasts now hitting Target. I like how it adds Fabulous Lightning McQueen and Rust-Eze (95) Cruz Ramirez, since they weren't included on Mattel's original poster release due to spoilers. This poster, however, does not feature any of the "Super Chase" characters. 

SIDE A

SIDE B

FUN FACTS: The character of Smokey in Cars 3 is inspired by real life mechanic Henry "Smokey" Yunick, who was also a car designer, stock car owner, racer, crew chief and overall NASCAR automotive pioneer back in the 50's/60's!

Additionally, the name of Smokey's garage in the film— "Smokey's Automotive Services: Best Dang Garage in Town"— stems from Yunick's famous real life garage (which was located in Daytona Beach, Florida) of (almost ;) the same name. Learn more on the official Smokey Yunick website HERE (who seem very proud that he's represented in Cars 3).

If you haven't yet, be sure to pick up this Smokey diecast for your collection at Walmart, Toys R Us, Target or Amazon using the direct link below. He's very easy to find as a single and is even available in a Toys R Us exclusive 5-pack called "Training with Smokey."

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Have you found the updated variation?

"The Art of Cars 3" Book Review

Another year, another Pixar film, another "Art of" book! I have purchased and reviewed every single one of these books from Chronicle Books publishing (they started with Monsters Inc., so I guess we're on number 15?), so needless to say I'm a fan of the series. Let's take a look at what this one, The Art of Cars 3, has in store for us!

First of all, if you're not familiar with this ongoing series of "Art of" books, they're essentially the definitive source for all officially released Pixar concept art and "making of" content. This one is no exception!

From early character/location designs, to color scripts, to storyboards, to deleted scenes...it's all here and more. There's even some fun Cars specific shot blocking/composition "Do's & Don'ts." Not to mention some fantastic insights from the filmmakers themselves (including an excellent foreword by John Lasseter, a personal/meaningful preface by director Brian Fee and a thoughtful introduction by production designers Bill Cone and Jay Shuster). The book closes out with some acknowledgments (special thanks) by the producer of the film, Kevin Reher.  

Like usual, the cover art for the sleeve and the sturdy hardcover book itself (with a nice embossed Cars 3 logo in the center) are both beautifully done. It's always exciting to see which concept art image will make it to the cover with each subsequent release.

Inside the book, following the three intros, the contents are organized by the film's three acts: "Act One", "Act Two" and "Act Three" (simple as that). There's even a small section at the end of the book called "Outtakes" featuring some abandoned ideas/art from an earlier version of the film. I love that stuff! I wish the other releases would have opened up to more of the early story stuff (especially The Good Dinosaur), since we know that the film we get in the end is never what was in development at the beginning.

To give you an idea of what you'll find inside, here's a few of the 167 pages! Don't worry, if you haven't seen the film quite yet (what are you waiting for?!), I don't go into any of the spoilers or story points.

I really like how the page below maps out the lay of the land showing where everything in Thomasville is in relationship to each other! I used to do the exact same thing in some of my earlier, feature length films (from when I was a teenager), so I guess was on the right track with my attention to detail even back then.

And I have to give another special note to the pages below because they're some of my favorites: unfold the top two pages to reveal the transition from the normal stock car racers to the next-gen racers! It basically opens up to one big super cool four-fold page.

Well there you go—and that's just a small taste at what you can expect inside. Per usual, this is a really beautiful tribute to the incredibly talented artists who worked so hard at making the film what it is today, yet who too often go unnoticed. Do you have a favorite Pixar artist whose work you look forward to seeing?

If you're a fan of Cars 3 or animation in general, you won't want to miss this one. There are so many details in this book that you really could look through and study it for hours (and I have to say, they really nailed the balance between visuals and behind the scenes text this time around). If you're interested in adding this to your collection, I recommend picking it up at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon using the direct link below.

Look forward to my next "Art of" book review this fall with Coco! 

Size: 11.4" x 9.4"
Retail Price: $40 (though it's always on sale for less)
Original Release Date: May 9th, 2017
My Rating: 9/10